Improved fruit-jar



UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

GEORGE H. MYERS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORIO S. B. BOWLEY,OF THE' SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVED FRUIT-JAR.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. MYERS, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, haveinvented an Improvement on Apparatus for Hermetically Closing Cans,Bottles, and other Vessels; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention consists of an annular nut or sprew-ring, having ascrew-thread, adapted to a similar thread on the neck of a vessel, and aflan ge for confining a plate and packing to the said neck, allsubstantially as described hereafter, the Whole forming a simple andeffective air-tight fastening for preserving-ves-l sels.

My invention further consists of an annular projection or projections onthe neck of the vessel, or on the plate above the packing, forpenetrating or indenting the latter, so as to insure a perfectly tightjoint.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to make and use myinvention, I will now proceed to describe its construction andoperation, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which formsa part of this speciiication, and in which- Figure 1 is a sectionalelevation of a preserving-vessel with my improved air tight fastening;Fig. 2, a plan view of the annular nut or screw-ring; Fig. 3, a planview of the vessel with the nut removed; and Fig. 4 an enlarged view ofa portion of the fastening.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the present instance the fastening is illustrated as applied to ametal can, A, in the top of which is a circular openin g, and 011 theedge of the latter is an annular projection, B, which may be termed theneck of the vessel. On this neck is out or otherwise formed ascrew-thread, adapted to receive that in the interior of the annular nutC, which has on the top a iian ge, a, and between the under side of thelatter and the top of the neckintervene a disk, D, and a packing, E, ofindia-rubber or other suitable elastic or yielding material, the diskbeing above and the packing below.

There may be projections b on the top of the nut, to aid in screwingdown the latter, and thereby compressing the rubber packing between thetop of the neck B and the plate or disk D, thus producing a perfectlytight joint, and hermetieally sealing the vessel.

It will be observed that on screwing down the annular nut its fiange a,bears on the plate D at a point where the application of pressure ismost available for securing a tight jointthat is, directly above the topof the neck B, between which and the plate the rubber packing has to becompressed.

It will also be observed that on turning the nut its liange will movefreely over the face of the plate D, while the latter remainsstationary, the rubber packing being thus protected from that torsionand twisting which would certainly take place if it were subjected tothe direct action of the turning nut without the intervention of thisplate.

. I wish it to be distinctly understood, however, that I do not desireto claim, as my invention, the intervention of a plate between ascrew-cap and a packing, resting on the edge of the mouth of apreserving-vessel, as this device is shown in the patent granted to R.W. Lewis, February l2, 1856.

There is this difference, however, between my improvement and theinvention claimed by the said Lewis: the latter has a solid heavy Yscrew-cap, in place of which I use a light screwring or annular nut.Moreover, in the Lewis patent the shoulder on whichthe packing rests isseparate and distinct from and within the neck, whereas the bearing forthe packing in my improvement is on the neck itself; hence my inventionis a marked improvement, both as regards construction, arrangement ofparts, simplicity, and lightness, on that described in the patent of theaforesaid Lewis.

On referring to the drawing, it will be observed that I have grooved thetop of the neck, so as to form annular projections' so sharp as topenetrate, or rather indent, the rubber packing when pressure isapplied, thereby imparting increased tightness to the joint. It isobvious, however, that the same ends may be attained by forming anannular penetrating projection or projections on the under side of theplate D.

It will also be evident that my invention of a screw-ring may be appliedto glass or even earthenware vessels, the screw for receiving the nutbeing formed directly on the neck of the same. It is, moreover,immaterial what substance the plate or disk D be made of, providing itpresents a smooth hard surface to the flange a of the annular nut.

Without claiming broadly, therefore, the interposition of a plate, D,between thepacking and a screw-cap, I claim as my invention and desireto secure by Letters Patent- 1. The annular nut or screw-ring C, havinga screvwthrea-d adapted to a similar thread on the neck of a vessel, anda flange, a, for confining a plate and packing to the said neck,

all substantially as 'and for the purpose herein set forth,

2. An annular projection or projections on the neck or on the plate, forindenting the rubber packing, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two sub' scribing witnesses.

GEO. H. MYERS.

p Witnesses:

J oHN A. HURLEY, O. B. PRICE.

